Sunday, January 20, 2008

GSA Teams with LCPS and Wegmans. A real good thing

Good Shepherd Alliance, LCPS and Wegmans Join Forces to Help ‘Near-Homeless’
The Good Shepherd Alliance (GSA), Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) and the Wegmans grocery chain have announced a combined effort to help people in Loudoun County who are nearing homelessness and are not eligible to receive public assistance.
LCPS schools will issue a voucher to families that school administrators identify as needing assistance. Such identification might come through a child not having the right clothing for the weather as they arrive at school or a teacher noticing weight loss even though the child is already getting a free or reduced-price lunch at school.
The school voucher may be taken to the GSA Thrift Store located in Regal Plaza off Route 7 in Countryside. When the family comes to the GSA Thrift store, they hand the voucher to the cashier as they arrive and the cashier records the items they select as they leave. There are some limitations as GSA still needs to help the homeless. (The Thrift Store may be contacted at 703-444-5956. GSA is located at http://www.loudounhomeless.org/on the Web. This Web site includes a link to the Thrift Store.)
A bonus to the program is that families taking a voucher to the Thrift Store will be given a debit card for $25 worth of groceries at the Wegmans Sterling store at Route 28 and Waxpool Road.
This is a way to help families before they fall into the homeless category. The Good Shepherd Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that has been providing emergency housing and near-term support for the homeless of Loudoun County since 1983.